


A Court of Serpents and Silver

by MayeTaisho



Series: ACOSAS [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: ?????? Ish????, Alternate Universe - A Court of Thorns and Roses Fusion, BAMF Harry Potter, BAMF Hermione Granger, BAMF Ron Weasley, Black Hermione Granger, Blood Adoption, Draco Malfoy is Afraid of Sex (much like the author), F/F, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Hogwarts is a continent and the houses are kingdoms, Horcruxes, I do not have a good plot, I hate myself, M/M, Magically Powerful Harry Potter, Mild Sirius Black Bashing, Multi, My tags were spoilers, Not so Virgin Hermione Granger, Pining Draco Malfoy, Politics, Prophecy, Seer Hermione Granger, Slow Burn, Slytherins Being Slytherins, Snape is not a prejudiced bigot in this but he is in canon, Translation from Portuguese, Unregular posting schedule, Virgin Harry Potter, Virgin Ron Weasley, help i don't know what i'm doing, ron and hermione are good friends
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-09
Updated: 2021-03-07
Packaged: 2021-03-07 19:21:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,682
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26912821
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MayeTaisho/pseuds/MayeTaisho
Summary: Harry Potter won a war, but he will not have the peace he longs for.With his powers out of control, a groom in denial and an old friend returning after a long time, he must decipher the mystery of the Deathly Hallows and figure out how to defeat the mysterious King Beyond the Sea.ACOTAR! AU
Relationships: Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter, Fleur Delacour/Original Female Character(s), Luna Lovegood/Ginny Weasley, Sirius Black/Remus Lupin
Series: ACOSAS [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1963690
Kudos: 10





	1. I / II / III / IV

**Author's Note:**

> I'm trying to translate this... I will do my best!

**I**

Harry floated. There was water around him, and a serpent gripped at his wrist, stopping him from drowning and connecting him to the distant and foreign shore. 

He felt the tug at his arm. He felt the distant shore becoming more and more close. When he finally got there, the serpent looked at him with its grey eyes, the silver and green scales glowing beautifully below the ethereal light. Those same eyes shone sadly, and after a couple of seconds, it slid into the fresh grass and vanished. 

**II**

Harry woke up. Cedric's embrace surrounded him. His head hurt, and he felt weak but refreshed. He knew his looks weren't even close to adequate, but he found that he couldn't care while hugging Cedric and crying into his arms. 

Voldemort was gone for good. The Deatheaters were being captured and ceased by the forces of Gryffindor and HufflePuff, and Harry couldn't see Draco anywhere. 

He was happy to be able to free him, tho. To free everyone. 

Cedric lifts him bridal-style, and without Voldemort's restrictions, he apparated them, not looking back once. 

**III**

After a long time, Draco finally went through the gates of his home in Emerald.

His friends were there, his city was protected and he was alive. He was alive.

He took a deep breath. He felt the air in and out of his lungs. He felt the pain of countless injuries, months of torture and the mark that had once been a pride for his kingdom and was now a dark stain on it.

But the day was breaking. He had time to work this out. He had a life to do what he wanted. To take care for his people.

And after years, he cried.

And smiled.

**IV**

It was six months ago. On that very day, Harry Potter would have taken the last challenge imposed by the dark wizard Voldemort. He would have had his wand back. And duelled. And died.

In some places, the young prince was worshipped. In others, he was feared. But the consensus was that HufflePuff was a very lucky kingdom to receive such a powerful and enigmatic wizard as king-consort.


	2. V

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry is worried about his marriage to Cedric, while shady schemes lurk inside the Mansion.

V

Harry sighed while looking out the window. The snow fell lightly, staining the flower fields white. He missed his home kingdom, where the weather was warm all year round. Despite this, he liked HufflePuff. In the spring, the fields were filled with flowers, perfuming the air. Although Harry couldn't go for a walk, even though the flat terrain allowed him to be seen several meters from the mansion.

He stepped away from the window, tightening the wool cape around his body. Cedric had said he would show up in the afternoon, but the dim sunlight was fading more and more, and the only sound Harry heard was the servants. Since six months ago, their relationship had been like this: Harry stayed at the mansion all day, while his fiancé was going to settle matters across the vast territory.

After Voldemort, some vital food-producing regions were completely rendered useless, sterile even at the height of the harvest season. It was dark magic, a plague. And it was up to the King to use his magic to heal the land. Harry understood that, knew that only Cedric's magic could help the peasants. But why did he feel so bad?

He wanted to help. He wanted to use the power that he was so often said he has to do good for the people who would soon be his. What reminded him...

"The wedding.", the emotionless words accidentally left his pink lips. Years before, marriage to Cedric meant happiness and love, and now it only reminded him of the countless duties he would have, the rituals and ceremonies to attend to. Harry didn't expect to have to do this, but he also didn't expect a war to start nor that he would be at the centre of it. He frowned.

Six months and they still weren't talking about the war. Not that Harry was a masochist and wanted to remember those awful years, but... He slapped himself mentally. Self-pity wouldn't help anyone but resolving marriage issues would. With a little bell at his side, he called a guard at the doors of the rooms. It was still strange, not having the freedom to talk to the guards like old friends. 

The guard in question bowed, and he swallowed.

"Please, could you call Cho for a meeting?" 

Should he have used any honorific? Should it have been more formal? Harry saw the guard remain serious and tried to calm his thoughts.

"Yes, Your Highness.", the guard bowed and started to walk away.

"Wait!", Harry bit his bottom lip. Was he really going to do that? Or should he ask Cho? And not a random guard? He realized he hadn't said anything yet when the guard's voice reached him.

"Sir?"

"The King...", he cleared his throat when the voice came out only a thread away from a crying voice. "Is the King already at home?"

"Yes, Your Highness. He arrived a few hours ago and headed for his quarters.", ...What? "He asked us to let you know when he asked that he is exhausted from the trip and hopes that your highness will understand his absence today."

WHAT?

"Did he stop by?"

"No, Your Highness. The maid came to deliver the message." He blew out a breath and didn't know if it was relief or irritation. The emotions were so mixed up inside him that he might not be feeling anything either.

"All right. Thanks."

"At your service, sir.", with another bow, the guard walked away. Harry tightened the cloak around his body again and entered the room.

_Cedric didn't come he was here and didn't come didn't come didn't come_

The words danced through Harry's head, and he had to shake it a few times to get rid of the feeling that Cedric was avoiding him. Not that Harry looked for him often. But the headaches (like the one that was forming at that very moment) paralyzed him in such a way he stayed in bed for days without being able to open his eyes, remembering the moments of torture and pain and despair. Oh, he was so lost... His own pain and grief were driving him away from happiness with Cedric, and Harry hated himself for doing this with his own relationship. He needed to stop, get it over with and…

"Your Highness! Your Highness!", Cho's voice reached Harry's ears. He turned to her, and only then did he notice that things were flying around the room: the teapot circled the ceiling; the mirrors were breaking; pens, ink and papers in an air frenzy.

Harry tried to stop, his jaw set tightly, and he managed for a while... until the headache took a pulse of pain through his body, weakening his muscles and distracting his mind. Chaos reigned again.

Then, for a single second, everything blinked and he only felt his head hitting the marble floor, aching for just a moment before he lost consciousness.

When the world cleared again, Harry was in bed. His head still hurt, but it was a more punctual physical pain. He knew that the spot where his head hit the floor was swollen.

Cho was at his side, her face impassive and her hands hidden in the sleeves of the blue silk dress common to Ravenclaw's counsellors.

Harry grunted.

"Your highness needs something?"

"No, I'm fine. Cedric didn't see what happened, did he?"

"No, His Majesty is resting in his wing of the mansion.", the girl was silent while Harry drank the glass of water she offered. "Your Highness, you need to control your powers. We are lucky that the King is not here. You could have hurt him."

"Don't even talk about it... But these headaches..."

"Are you taking your medicine? The teas?"

"Yes, every day. It doesn't work, as the pain is not physical."

"The medicine is made by the best healers in Ravenclaw, they are designed to soothe any pain.", Cho's brow furrowed deeply. Harry sighed and shrugged. She wouldn't understand even if he knew how to explain. They were silent, listening to the relaxing sound of the fireplace.

"Sorry, I don't know what happened."

"We'll have to find out, Your Highness. And until we have an idea of what's going on, I need you to tell nothing to anyone, least of all the King."

"Right. I also would not like to give him one more concern."

"Your Highness is very attentive to our King. You will be a great consort.", Cho's smile made Harry breathe relieved, despite noticing the concern in her eyes. He wanted to know what she was feeling, but it had been a long time since he had been able to read anyone. Everything was black and white around everyone, and he didn't know if it was an effect of the war or if he had really lost any gift he had after Voldemort.

Maybe it was better that way.

The girl got up and bowed, biding her goodbyes and leaving the room.

Harry turned on the big four-poster bed and covered himself. Despite feeling tired, he had no desire to close my eyes. He looked at the mark of a snake in the shape of an infinite for a long time, the blue-green waves twisting on his forearm, took a sip of the already cold tea on the table next to the bed and closed his eyes, dreaming with grey eyes and platinum hair.

"He will come and get him.", Cho said. She sat on the huge bed while braiding her hair. The pale yellow robe contrasted with her hair, and she smiled knowing that Cedric would appreciate it.

"Let him come.", The King took another sip of wine. His third cup in half an hour, Cho noticed. "I'll release the hell on him if he thinks about even touching a hair of Harry's."

The room was silent for a long moment, broken only by the crackle of wood burning in the fireplace. Things could be easier if Cedric just stopped caring for the boy and finally left him for the snake to look for. It would make it so much easier for her.

"He did air magic.", she said softly, controlling the urge to smile when the King tensed.

"What?"

"Air magic. And powerful. Uncontrolled, untrained, but powerful.", she saw Cedric snort, and fill the fourth glass.

"Nothing new.", why couldn't things go the way she wants? Why did Cedric act like this ridiculous kid was just a well-trained puppy, doing tricks, not a danger? Why couldn't he just fear him, and realize that she would be so much better, so much more capable, so much more perfect beside him?

"Cedric, he needs training. If he loses control around you... He could end up hurting you... Or even killing you.", she got up from the bed, letting her bare legs slide to the floor before being covered by the robe. Cedric didn't even notice.

"He would never do that. Besides that, the people need a Consort that brings security. What message would we send if he started training?"

Cho bit her lower lip, lowering her head. It's all right. If the boy wouldn't leave willingly, then so be it. Soon Cedric's loving fingers were on her chin, lifting it.

"Don't worry about him, right?", and kissed her for a long time.

The kiss only ended when the two embraced. And Cedric didn't notice the malicious gleam in Cho's eyes.

Harry woke up in the middle of the night. His dark hair stuck to the sweat on his forehead, his breathing laboured. He was back in that basement, in the dungeons. His arms were nailed in the same way as several others beside him. Sirius. Remus. Cedric. Ron. Hermione. Draco. And that laugh, that presence...

His eyes filled with tears. He put a hand over his mouth to prevent any noise from escaping and turned to the window. The night was clear despite the snow that had fallen during the afternoon. The cold made Harry shiver more and more, and finally, a strangled sound came from the back of his throat.

He covered himself with the thick fur blanket, and let himself cry. His chest hurt, his throat tightened and his head throbbed. And he only slept when sunlight came through the room.


	3. VI

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The wedding day is close, and Harry's anxiety leads to some discoveries. A friend comes to the rescue.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> at this point, I'm just throwing things at Grammarly and seeing was comes out

**VI**

Two months passed. The wedding would take place in less than a week and Harry's head throbbed and hurt and throbbed some more. The maids were kind and left him alone when he asked, but Cho... She appeared constantly in the worst moments, with the worst news and only made Harry want to give up everything and go home.  
But Harry was not going to give up. He owed it to his kingdom, to his godparents and most of all, he owed it to Cedric. He had been through a lot and deserved happiness.  
'What about your happiness?', asked an irritating voice in the back of his brain. Harry shook his head.  
"Your Highness, we need to fix the details of your clothes!", Cho's voice echoed through the library, the hiding place that Harry had taken for himself in the past few days, and he groaned softly. 'How did she find me so fast?'   
Harry took a book from the shelf beside the place where he had been sitting and enjoying the silence (no one, absolutely no one, had entered the library during the hours he spent there). He opened the book and sat down again, trying not to look tense.  
"I'm here!", he shouted when he saw Cho approach. The long blue dress dragged on the cream marble floor and Harry wondered if he would have to wear dresses like that, or if he could follow the Gryffindor customs and wear whatever he felt like wearing. Unfortunately, the wedding outfit and the new wardrobe were proof that he would have to get used to dresses, after all.  
"Your Highness, please! We need to hurry!"  
"Ah, yes, yes!" Harry closed the newly opened book, tucked it under his arm, and followed Ravenclaw to his quarters, where a team of seamstresses waited with the dress on.  
After hours of measurements being taken, skin being pricked by pins and conversations about sewing techniques and stitches, the kind women left the room. Then, there was just Harry, with a throbbing head and Cho watching him intently.  
Harry drank a cup of warm tea and bit into the belaflor cookie. Belaflores generally dominated HufflePuff fields during the spring and were the basis of food in the kingdom. Even the nobility used them in their fine dishes. For Harry, they were sublime: sweet, delicate and rustic.  
"What book is that?", Cho broke the silence of the environment. The boy frowned, turned to where she was pointing and found the book he had picked up randomly earlier. Harry took a look at the spine.  
"Uh ... The Lord of Death?", Harry said questioningly. Cho's face became a stone mask, but she said nothing. Harry enjoyed the return of silence and leaned back in his chair.  
It was late afternoon, and the mild weather indicated that winter was finally making room for spring. The sun was just landing its last rays over the extensive fields, a view that Harry found even more dazzling from the top of Ruby.  
His headache twitched, and he swallowed the groan of pain. It would have to improve after the wedding, or else...  
"Will my godparents come?", he asked, but his voice seemed distant even to himself.  
"I don't think so, Your Highness. They did not send confirmation letters at the ceremony or the ball.", they were silent for a moment, Harry trying to care beyond the pain that blinded him.  
"I think things are not good at home.", the emerald eyes went to Cho's feet, covered in black satin shoes.  
"Your home is now HufflePuff, Your Highness."  
"But Gryffindor will always be where I was born.", he frowned. "It is my home. It doesn't matter how much time I spend here."  
"Your Highness, I don't think it would be appropriate to say these things within the mansion. HufflePuffs value unconditional loyalty more than honour itself. To have a King-consort faithful to yet another kingdom would be at least a scandal.", Cho's tone was austere. Harry had always heard about HufflePuff loyalty, as well known as Gryffindor courage and Ravenclaw intelligence, but he never thought it would be so serious.  
"I'm sorry.", he spoke and felt his eyes being pressed out of his skull. "I think ... I think I need to rest. Can you leave, please?"  
"Of course, Your Highness. And I'm going to take that book back to the library."  
"No! You can leave it there."  
If she took the book, Harry would have no excuse to return to the library the next day. Not with breakfast promises to visitors who they expected HIM to receive. Cho groaned but left the book where it was. She went to the door, turned and bowed, finally leaving a second later with the dress whispering right behind.  
After taking the entire pot of tea and eating some more, Harry changed his daytime clothes into his comfortable pyjamas. He sat on the bed and started reading, trying to ignore the pain.  
The introduction to the story was quick, a tale that Harry had heard in childhood: three brothers had deceived Death by using their magic to build a bridge over a river on which they were destined to die. Death, clever and cunning, appeared to them and offered a gift to each. The older brother, a great duelist, wished for the most powerful wand. The arrogant middle brother wanted a stone that would raise the dead to further humiliate her. The youngest, guessing that Death would turn the presents against them, wished for something to hide even from her and received Death's own cloak.  
The three brothers then followed different paths. The eldest sought revenge against an old rival and killed him with his powerful wand, but not long after he found Death with his throat cut after his wand was stolen.  
The middle brother, who lived alone after the death of his beloved, used the stone to resurrect his bride. However, she had not returned as she was before. She was cold and sad, which made the brother mad and led him to suicide.  
The third brother put on the cloak as soon as he left the bridge, and used it until he was old, had met his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Only then, feeling that he had lived a full and happy life, did he remove his cloak and pass it on to his descendants, meeting Death as an old friend.  
The last part of the introduction was the most enigmatic, and Harry had never seen it added to the stories by the fire. She said: “The Deathly Hallows, however, never returned to their original master. Even today, they exist and are still scattered around the world, just waiting to be returned in humanity's last breath. Whoever wields all of them will be considered the Lord of Death. ”  
Harry closed the book, before starting to read the first chapter. He looked out the windows and the night was already beginning to darken the room too much, making reading impossible.  
Still, something about it all seemed familiar. He had heard other versions, most commonly making the brothers not heroes, but fools who liked to think of themselves as greater than natural law, using their magic in that way.  
Sighing, the boy lit a candle and went back under the covers. Finishing the reading made the headache come back, but for the first time, it didn't seem so serious. He just fluffed the pillows and covered himself, ending another day in a dreamless sleep.  
  
  
"Do you think he suspects?", Edward whispered in the dark hall.  
"I don't know. But I never saw the prince reading anything, especially something so... punctual for our cause.", Cho looked at the end of the corridor.  
"Anyway... I believe that our master would be satisfied if you continued... taking care of the boy. We don't want any incidents like Voldemort, right?"  
She nodded. Voldemort had left their master far beyond furious.  
"He has shown himself powerful. We should get him out of the game as soon as possible."  
"It would only bring more attention to us if it is something so sudden. We have more subtle ways of knocking this important piece down on the board. Besides, the King will certainly not train him in his new powers, right? So ridiculous. It will be his own downfall."  
"We should thank him, then; his downfall is our victory."   
After a half-smile, they waved goodbye and went on their way.  
  
  
It was the wedding day and Harry was so lightheaded that he couldn't control his limbs. The maids helped him put on the wedding dress, and he felt his legs were too weak to walk alone. Cho fluttered around, rushing him and smiling as if it were her own wedding.  
He mumbled several times that he was not well, but she insisted it was just nervousness. But he could not see, he could not articulate well nor the thanks and greetings, imagine saying your wishes to all the guests.  
None of that seemed to make any difference to her, who, seeing him ready, went out to get the guard who would accompany him. He tried not to feel too relieved, but just the presence of Cho seemed to put weight on his shoulders.  
Harry took a last sip of tea to try to get better, but for the first time the tea seemed unpalatable and he wanted to throw up. A tremor passed through his entire body and tapped the cup on the table next to the chair, which caught the attention of one of the servants. She came over and pulled out the tea set.  
After a few moments, the same maid returned with a different bottle. Harry felt his head and stomach turn over at the thought of taking yet another medicine.  
"Your Highness, it's a calming draught. You don't look very well.", she said, in a sweet voice. Harry smiled a little but declined with a wave. She tilted her head, left the glass on the table and stepped back.  
The prince closed his eyes and put his hand on his forehead, trying to ward off the now growing headache. After what seemed like hours, the door to his quarters was opened again. Cho entered, wearing a dress of the same shade of blue as usual, but certainly more refined, and a pair of guards. She went to the prince.  
"Your Highness, we came to escort you to the ceremony site." As Harry did not answer, just stared at her with a little confusion and a frown of pain, the girl put a hand on his arm and pulled him gently to get up. Harry was slightly off-balance, but she helped him recover with a smile. They walked slowly and went into the hall, their dresses rustling on the floor. As soon as the door was closed and the group of guards took up positions around them, they started walking at a much faster pace than would be appropriate for Harry's condition, causing a few small stumbles with each step that were soon helped by Cho. She showed great patience, staying by Harry's side until they reached the hall where the wedding would take place, her smile never failing, and Harry almost thought he grew with each stumble.  
The brunette tried not to think that this would be the first time he would see Cedric out of private meals. Even the pre-wedding reception and public dinners were in charge of him, and Cedric had not come to see him before that.  
He didn't have to worry too much about the thought since the door that led to the garden where the wedding would take place was opened and the light hit his green eyes. The headache came back in full force.  
Harry tried to take a deep breath and look at Cedric, smile a little to demonstrate the happiness he would feel, felt, feels. But when he saw the groom at the altar, smiling at himself, for the first time in months he let himself ask: who was that man?  
Where was that person while Harry suffered for the past few months? Did he ever think about what would bring happiness to Harry? What would make him comfortable?  
No, that same little voice that he had tried to silence for so long replied, he never talked to you, never gave you even half of what you gave him.  
The questions were many, and the answer was one he should have known a long time ago. Anger and disappointment overtook Harry, and he no longer heard the music or the first screams, nor the chairs falling as the air around him became a hurricane, where the water in the potted plants became a flood, the earth broke off in clods and fire escaped his skin. His control had been lost and the elements around him reacted to the despair that hit him.  
He felt the pulse where the snake was burning, not hurting at the slightest. It was like feeling a loving touch on the forearm. And soon the water had returned to the pots, but the other three elements remained unruly. Then there was light, there were joy and a life to go on, a pale hand on his wrist and a smile on his lips as the world grew dark.  
  
  
"Get away from him, Malfoy."   
The order was said under Cedric's agitated breath. He was shaking slightly, and Draco would be far beyond happy if he could finish him right now.  
"I thought you would take better care of him after Voldemort, Cedric. He's your fiance after all, though... It looks like the wedding will be postponed." Draco smirked, although he felt the inert weight in his arms much lighter than it should have been, and it filled him with anger at the man in front of him.  
"What you want from us?"  
"We made a deal, Harry and me. I just came to collect his share. Now, you know how complicated magic contracts are, right? If you try to stop this..."  
"Leave him alone!"  
"Not while we still have an accord to fulfil."   
Then, Draco created a portal and crossed it before they could try to stop him.


	4. VII

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry wakes in a new place, meets new people and reencounters an old friend.

Harry woke up in a foreign room. The windows were large and the sound of running water came from everywhere. He knew that hours had passed since the sky was dark and full of stars, and the moon was rising behind the immense mountains.  
"Where…"  
"You are in Slytherin, Your Highness.", a female voice, low as a purr said. Harry turned his head so fast that his neck hurt. The girl sitting in the big green velvet armchair had short, black, chin-length hair and was dressed in silver pants, black high heels, and a beautiful light green silk shirt. Slytherin? Did Draco finally (finally!) go get him? She smiled, but the smile didn't reach her eyes. "My name is Pansy Parkinson, and I am here to ensure that your highness is comfortable during your stay at our court."  
"Were you watching me sleep?", Harry asked, trying to understand the situation he was in. If Draco was back, why wasn't he there?  
"No, Your Highness. That would be completely inappropriate. I arrived a few minutes ago. But the nurses said it may take a while to get all the poison out of your system, so you should feel weak for a few days."  
"Poison?" Harry asked, with a shudder, distracting him from his thoughts.  
"Yes. Your highness was on the verge of an overdose when you arrived. We believe it to be a special poison, created in Ravenclaw. Why it was in your system is a question that we expected you to answer." From her look, it was clear that she thought he had done it to himself. Harry knew he was not well, but not to the verge of dying. Not yet.  
"I... I was taking some medicine. For my headaches.", he gulped. The woman raised an eyebrow. "Maybe Cho must have switched and..."  
"Cho Chang?"   
Harry was surprised by the interruption until he realized she was waiting for confirmation.  
"Yes."  
"Interesting. We will discuss this later."   
Harry would have confronted her for answers, but his stomach rumbled and he realized it had been a few days since he barely ate. -Are you hungry, highness?   
-A little. -He replied, embarrassed. The woman got up and went over to him, reaching out to help him up. He was still weak, but his legs seemed less likely to collapse under his weight than before.  
-Want to change before the meal? We will go to the Grand Lord's private dining room, perhaps it is appropriate that you wear more comfortable clothes. She pointed to the dress Harry was still wearing.  
The boy frowned at the extravagant outfit.  
"Can I wear pants? Is there a rule?"  
"As you can see...", Pansy signed for her own pants. "We have nothing against a good and comfortable pair of pants. There is a closet on the second door after the bathroom. Want some help with your choice?"  
Harry wondered if it was just an excuse not to leave him alone yet. And he was unable to dispense with help.  
"Please."  
Pansy went to the door, followed by Harry. They entered a world of silks, chamois, velvets, hides and skins that astounded Harry. The girl, however, went straight to the pants section and chose a black suede, with a silver belt and after going to where the shirts were and murmuring for a while, she chose a silver silk social shirt. Also, he took black boots for Harry.  
"The clothes magically adjust to the body, as you should expect."  
"I should?", In HufflePuff (and in Gryffindor, if he was being fair), all the clothes were custom-made and there was nothing you could do after they didn't fit.  
Pansy laughed, as if it were a joke, and headed out of the closet. Harry frowned and followed her again. The girl snapped her fingers and two swirls of water appeared in the air, startling Harry. To his greatest amazement, two maids passed by, dressed in deep green and identical.  
"These are Nuala and Ceridwen, your maids. When you need them, just snap your fingers and they will appear to help you. They will be waiting to guide you to the dining room.", With a final bow, Pansy left the room. The twin maids bowed deeply to the boy and approached him.  
"Oh no! Wait, please. I can dress myself, I just need help with the gown.", He smiled embarrassedly to see them exchange a look.  
"We are here to serve you, sir.", The twin on the left said. Her voice was as soft as a water drop.  
"Our duty is to help you get ready for dinner.", The other said, in an equally soft voice.  
"I know, and I appreciate it. But I just need help with this gown and if you can do it for me, it will be enough."  
"As you wish.", They replied in unison. Then one of them (Nuala, Harry soon discovered) started to undo the ties and loosen buttons, relieving the tightness in Harry's torso. Ceridwen went to the bathroom to prepare the bath, which, faster than he expected, was spreading steam through the open door. Soon the dress was lying on the floor, leaving only the ridiculous underwear she had been forced to wear. He took a deep breath, thanked and dismissed the maids.  
He went into the bathroom and took his bath in no hurry, enjoying the warmth of the bathtub and trying not to think about home or HufflePuff, and leaving the issues of before returning. Where was Draco? Did he work for the High Lord? Was that why Harry had been received at his house? His prince status would have achieved that comfort, but ... But Draco had promised to take him to visit Slytherin. He kept trying to put that puzzle together, and when he felt clean, away from all the oils and perfumes that had passed over him, he got out of the big bathtub and fetched a towel. He dried himself and his hair, which spread uncontrollably.  
Before long, he was wearing the clothes Pansy chose. He looked at himself in the mirror and couldn't help but notice how impeccable the girl's taste was. He felt as beautiful as ever.  
On the dressing table, there were several perfumes that Harry did not know, jewellery boxes and other treats, such as makeup and ornaments. The prince opened one of the jewellery boxes and found many fancy earrings and necklaces, with diamonds and emeralds. He took a pair of long emerald earrings and put them on. With one last look in the mirror, he smiled and headed for the door. Only then did he turn and scan the floor. The wedding dress was long gone.  
  
  
Pansy arrived at the dining room and found Draco standing, looking out of one of the panoramic windows over the city. Emerald was a city like no other, its grey stone buildings reflecting the moon and its countless rivers setting the tone for the city. It was a place of music, culture, commerce and cosmopolitanism.  
"I would give a ship for your thoughts, cousin.", She said out loud. She knew that her cousin had felt her presence already in the corridor.  
"How's our guest?", She tried not to smile while sitting at the table. She knew her cousin very well to see straight through the facade of detachment that he cared.  
"Good. He has shown no signs that his stay is unwanted.", He finally turned, and went to the head of the table, sitting down.  
"I would hope so. The nurses told me about the poisoning."  
"Yes. And guess what delicious piece of information I got.", Draco's look made her regret the joke, even when he gestured for her to speak. "Cho Chang, Voldemort's double agent, was medicating him."  
"So it was for HufflePuff that she appealed when Voldemort fell.", Draco said, shaking his head shortly after. "I expected no less. That girl is low."  
Pansy nodded. Shortly thereafter, they started listening to the other Inner Circle guests arriving down the hall on the left. The first to arrive was Blaise.  
"How's our guest?", He asked as if he wants nothing.  
"How do you already know? I hope the servants and guards are not gossiping.", Draco knew very well that they did, and everyone knew that he knew. But he was really curious.  
"Theo.", Well, that answered, and the High Lord gave a questioning look to the boy who had just entered. Theo dared to roll his eyes.  
"Severus will come?"  
"I don't know yet. You know what he's like with Gryffindors."  
"The big bat needs to start to relax. He's not an ambassador anymore, he stays in the laboratory all day."  
"My godfather has his reasons.", Draco said in a serious voice.  
"Something I'm very curious about.", Blaise commented, but Draco held up a hand. Everyone stopped talking, and then the prince of Gryffindor entered.  
  
  
Harry was shy. He knew he had interrupted something important. But when he saw Draco, he started to smile. He hadn't seen his friend since the end of the war when he defeated Voldemort using Draco's wand after his was taken a second time.  
"Draco!", Harry couldn't hold it and ran to hug him. Draco stood up and took him in his arms, turning him around. When they broke free, Harry couldn't stop smiling. "I can't believe we're seeing each other again! I thought I would never find you again, despite our deal... I thought you forgot!"  
"How could I have forgotten my only company in that prison?"  
"You took too long."  
"I had many things to resolve, Harry. I apologize. Should I introduce you?", Harry turned to the other guests, with an embarrassed smile by his lack of decorum. Pansy smiled at him, but the other two boys looked confused. "My cousin Pansy, you should already know."  
"Ah yes. She helped me choose the outfit.", Draco noticed the green-eyed brunette's robes for the first time and gave signs of approval for the choice. "Thank you very much, milady."  
"You're welcome, Your Highness."  
"These are Blaise Zabini, the general in command of the forces of Slytherin, and Theodore Nott, the advisor and royal guard."  
"It's a pleasure to meet you, my lords.", The two got up from the table and returned Harry's bow. Draco took the boy's hand and guided him to the place on his left side, pulling out his chair and accommodating him.  
"You never did that for me, Draco. I am disappointed.", The only female voice spoke.  
"You would yell at me and say you can sit by yourself, Pansy, dear."  
"I can't deny it," the brunette conceded, smiling sideways. Draco returned the smile and snapped his fingers, sitting down again at the head of the table. Several swirls of water appeared on the walls and from them, several created with countless dishes smelling delicious.  
"Shouldn't we wait for the High Lord?", Harry asked, watching everyone else start to help themselves. When everyone stopped and turned to the boy, he wondered if he had said something wrong. Pansy was the first to look at Draco seriously.  
"Draco Malfoy, didn't you tell that poor boy?"  
Harry frowned, trying to understand. When the pieces clicked together, he turned in a snap to the blond boy.  
"Are you the High Lord?", Draco confirmed with a nod, and Harry brought his hands to his forehead. "Why have you never told me before? By the gods, I told you to fuck yourself when we met!"  
"That didn't matter at the time. I didn't want it to be something that would make you turn away from me.", Harry crossed his arms.  
"Why would I do it?"  
"Slytherin has always been... distant from the other territories at Hogwarts. We don't have good relations with HufflePuff or Gryffindor, and we have a tenuous alliance with Ravenclaw. Revealing my identity to you would only cause you more problems after the war.", It was Draco's silent answer.  
"You... You should have trusted me." Harry's voice made Draco feel his heart sink. "Did you think I would tell anyone if you had told me to keep a secret? Do you think so little of me?"  
"It wasn't a matter of trust, Harry. I just wanted to protect you."  
"Don't do it. Don't decide what's best for me. I let Cedric do this for me for the past few months and ended up poisoned and feeling sick every single day of my damn days to this day. Don't. Decide. For me.", Harry was tired. Somehow, the headache came back, throbbing as he spoke. "And that fucking headache that never goes away..."  
"Headache? Do you want me to call the nurses?", Draco approached, eyeing Harry.  
"No. It happens so much that I almost got used to it. In the beginning, it was really bad. But now… Ah!", But the cutlery started to shake all over the table, as well as the floor of the room, at the same rhythm as the waves of pain came. A special twinge hit Harry's forehead. He got up. "Excuse me."  
Nuala and Ceridwen quickly appeared and guided Harry back to his quarters, who, despite having heard Draco calling him, did not turn around.  
  
  
Upset, Harry put the simplest clothes he found in the closet and lay down. He hadn't even eaten, but the headache seemed to make his stomach ache go away, and he should have gotten used to it, really.  
Despite his tiredness, when he finally put his head on the soft pillow he was unable to sleep. He stayed there for a long time until he heard a soft knock on the door. Holding a series of curses, he took a deep breath.  
"Enter."  
"Excuse me, Your Highness.", Pansy came through the door with a tray. When she closed the door, Harry sat with his column against the headboard and waited for her to come to him. I had no strength, much less the desire to get up. The brunette left the tray on the nightstand and sat on the edge of the huge bed.  
The smell of food reminded Harry that he was hungry, but he waited for the girl to nod with his head that dinner was for him. Harry took the spoon and started to starve. The silence stretched, and Harry realized that she was waiting for him to start the conversation. He wiped his lips with his napkin.  
"I apologize for my behaviour today at dinner."  
"I don't judge you, Your Highness. Draco is sometimes very protective, but I'm sure he knows how to respect your space. You have become very dear to him."  
"Have I?", Harry bit his bottom lip. He felt like a spoiled child, but... "So why didn't he come to see me before?"  
"Draco, as High Lord, has many duties both in Emerald and in other cities in the kingdom. Voldemort's rise has created a lot of chaos, and it is his duty to deal with all these problems."  
Harry knew.  
"How long has he been High Lord?"  
"His father died three years ago, and then the power passed to Draco.", In times of war, it was not impossible for something like this to happen, but none of the other kingdom leaders lost their lives in those years. This made Harry question how the last High Lord met his end, and whether it had anything to do with the rumours that Voldemort had come from Slytherin. He shook his head.  
"But that would make him only eighteen years old! It's too early…"  
"Certainly. But Draco was always very capable, and always wanted to become High Lord. He loves his people very much."  
So different from Cedric, that he never wanted to be King but was obliged when there was no one to take the throne.  
"Talking about me, Pans?", Draco's voice came from the door. He had a smile on his lips, but his grey eyes gave away that he was upset. Harry ate some more of his food, before putting it aside, trying not to feel bad for making him feel bad.  
"Yes, I am telling the prince all your antics when we were little."  
"What an interesting conversation! It will probably be the best lullaby for Harry since I was always the well-behaved child in the family."  
"He seems to have memory problems.", Pansy spoke to Harry, with a wink. She then stood up and bowed. When he passed Draco, they looked at each other slightly, and she put a hand on the blonde's shoulder before leaving.  
"I'm sorry.", It was the first thing Draco said as soon as the door closed.  
"You have no reason to apologize. A lot has happened today, and I just ... I got tired.", Harry turned his face away.  
"Well, at least your “tiredness” left a great impression on my court. Blaise is probably in love. I had to remind him that you are engaged, otherwise, he would start courting you tonight.", Draco walked over to the edge of the bed Pansy had been sitting on minutes ago and settled there.  
"I'm engaged if Cedric still wants me. After today... I highly doubt it." He sighed, before hitting his head against the headboard. The room was silent until he raised his head and looked at Draco, who wore an unreadable expression.  
"I can take the blame if you want to go back."  
"No." Harry realized he had been blunt when Draco looked at him in surprise. He pinched the bridge of his nose. "Not for now. A few minutes before I lost control, I realized that I was marrying a complete stranger. We spent months under the same roof, and he never spoke to me for more than ten minutes in private.", It wasn't all he thought, but Draco didn't need to know about... about all the other feelings that hit him at that moment.  
"I took you out with the excuse of our contract, and if you want to go back, it will be done immediately.", Draco was serious, looking deep into his eyes. "But if you think it's better not to go back to HufflePuff, I can take you to Gryffindor or you... You can stay here."  
"Here?", Harry saw a faint blush rise on Draco's cheeks.  
"If you want to stay. Whatever you want."  
"I ... I'll think. Thanks.", It was as much as I could promise, even if the offer had done strange things with his heart.  
"You're welcome."  
They were silent for some time, while Harry finished eating dessert.  
"As for your loss of control today...", Draco started, while Harry put the cutlery back on the tray. "Have you known something like this before?"  
"Only once. I ... I made the furniture fly. Cho caught me and made me pass out before I hurt anyone."  
"And what did she do about it?  
"She said I wasn't supposed to talk to anyone. Not even Cedric.", Draco grunted and was thoughtful for a while.  
"So you have no training? In no element but fire, I mean."  
"What?", Facing Harry's confusion, Draco sighed heavily.  
"Harry, you were using the four elements when I arrived at the wedding."  
"How is this possible? And you don't seem surprised that I can master more than one element."  
"Not really. There are... There are legends, of magic being used for much greater purposes than just controlling the elements, apparating and disapparating."  
"Like creating bridges?", Harry asked.  
"Yes. As in the Tale of the Three Brothers. Have you heard of this story?", Draco seemed totally focused on him, and the look made Harry feel trapped. It took a while for your brain to understand the question.  
"Actually… I read a book about it, The Master of Death."  
"You found that book, then?", If he managing to control the four elements didn't surprise Draco, that certainly did.  
"What? It's hard to find?", Harry asked. If Draco asked how he found it, how would he explain that it was completely random?  
"There are only four of those books, one for each kingdom. And they are highly protected, due to their rarity and content.", Draco blew out a breath. Harry waited for him to continue, but he ended up just getting up. "If you want, tomorrow we can go to the library. We will discuss this after you get some more sleep."  
"Okay, then. Thanks."  
Draco nodded and left the room.  
The brunette watched the door through which he had just passed, and after a while, he turned on the bed and managed to sleep.


	5. VIII

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry learns more about the story of Voldemort and how he gained power on the continent.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> another update? on the same day? what? is... is the author okay? are they alright?  
> the answer, dear readers, is that I'm not, in fact, okay

##  VIII

The next morning, Nuala and Ceridwen appeared a few hours after dawn and found Harry still asleep. He was bent over in a fetal position, hugging his knees. They both looked at each other, and Nuala went to the closet to choose an outfit for the prince at the behest of Pansy, while Ceridwen cleaned up. After everything was ready, they dared to call the prince's name, waking him up slowly.

Harry, however, had never slept so well and the twins' voice was a lullaby for his tired mind.

After several minutes of calling him, the twins gave up on their subtle tactics, and finally shook the guest's shoulder. Harry finally woke up, but in the fright and confusion of not knowing where he was, he took Nuala's hand on his shoulder and tossed her on the bed. His forearm was on the maid's fragile neck, and she let out a high-pitched scream. Harry's mind finally cleared.

“Gods! Nuala, forgive me!”, He released her and jumped on the mattress. Ceridwen helped his sister to her feet, and after recovering, Nuala turned to the prince with a bow and apologized for the way she woke him. “No, no! I apologize, I didn't realize that... That I was safe.”

The servants bowed, told him that breakfast was being served in the hall where dinner had taken place and left. It made Harry feel like the worst piece of trash on the continent. He laid down and put his arm over his eyes, letting out a frustrated sigh. It was amazing how it all came back to bite him.

After brooding over what had happened, he finally took the courage to head to the bathroom. He took a quick shower, washed his hair and put on the clothes that had been chosen and displayed on the couch. It was a set of shorts made of strong and malleable material, and a wide, smooth green blouse. He put on the same boots as the day before and went into the lounge, thinking about how to explain to Draco what had happened.

When he got there, he saw Draco sitting in the same chair at the head of the table, this time without company. The blonde’s had messy hair, a light tunic and riding pants. He looked ready to go for a ride if it weren't for the sweat that was already running down his face and his skin was already slightly red with sun and effort. Harry watched a single drop of sweat make its way down the High Lord's neck and disappear into the collar of his tunic.

“I see you already got up.”, Draco's voice reached Harry's ears. “Good morning.”

“Good morning. Draco, I…”

“If you are going to apologize for the scare you gave your maids, don't even waste your saliva. They weren't upset, I can assure you. It is not the first nor will it be the last time that something similar will happen in Slytherin.’, Draco took a sip from the cup in front of him. He snapped his fingers shortly thereafter, and a servant appeared with another cup, a set of tea and fruit and bread.

“What do you mean?”, Harry asked, once the servant left and he started to help himself.

“We have a long list of High Lords killed during sleep by lovers or hired killers, or even by the family itself. For us, agile reflexes and an apt mind even when waking up is essential.”

“What a… gruesome story.”, Draco only nodded.

“You told me once that you had not spent early childhood in Gryffindor.”, Harry blushed, not used to talk about himself.

“Well… My father was a noble from Gryffindor, and my mother an immigrant from Muggle. She got a job at the castle and they met, fell in love and got married. But then Gryffindor's civil war broke out, and my mother had just had me. My father was scared and sent her to live with his family in Muggle, as she would not be in danger there. So I grew up in Muggle until I was eleven, and then my godparents brought me back to Hogwarts. I was not their only heir, obviously, but I was the son of a dear friend and they invited me to live and be a prince in Gryffindor. And I accepted.”, Harry took a sip from his cup. He never had a beverage like this tea, the taste was much stronger and richer than anything he ever tried.

“And your parents?”, Draco hesitantly asked. 

“I always preferred to believe that their end is too dark to tell anyone, mainly because they were light in everyone's life.”

“All right.”, The High Lord finished the contents of his cup with one last long sip, before getting up. Pushing Harry to tell him anything that left him with that lost look would be stupid. Mainly, considering everything he believed the boy had yet to go through. “I'm going to take a bath and change clothes. In half an hour I will be back here so we can go to the library. If you need anything, your maids will be on hand. Please, don’t rush breakfast.

Harry nodded, and Draco opened one of his water portals to his quarters.

An hour later, Draco analyzed Harry's expressions of astonishment when he saw the size of the Slytherin Library. The Library, after all, stored knowledge not only from Hogwarts but from all over the world. There were books that were older than the city, there were books that were from more distant places than a man with a lifetime and a fast ship could reach. And there were the maps, the paintings and all the arts that could no longer be placed in the museum.

“Woah... It's impressive!”

“Despite our strong point being trading, Slytherin appreciates knowledge as much as Ravenclaw. We have books of all genres, for all purposes.”, Draco said while greeting everyone who waved with a smile. They entered through a side corridor, and then went up two flights of stairs. They ended up at a door, and Draco took a key from a leather necklace he used and unlocked it. It opened and he gave way to Harry, who entered the dark room. As he was used to, Harry used his firepower in the palm of his hand to light up the room. Seconds later, the blonde entered the room too, only this time, taking a candle and lighting it in Harry's hand. “You're like a giant lighter, you know?”

“Ha, ha. Very funny. As if it were the first time I heard that.”, Harry put off the fire and followed Draco down a long corridor until they saw the light at the end. When the surroundings were already fully visible, the High Lord blew out the candle. They entered a room with so many treasures that Harry felt his jaw drop. There were piles and piles of jewellery, gold coins, paintings, chests, shelves with books and parchments and so many and so many weaponry and pens. He had never seen such a rich collection since he entered Gryffindor's treasure room to receive his engagement gift. “Draco…”

“This is Slytherin's secret treasure room because my ancestors were so stingy that they couldn't leave everything in just one place at the risk of losing everything.”

“I don't blame them.”, Harry looked around, still enchanted by the beauty of it all. “If I had half that wealth, I would want to protect it in any way.”

“Well, how good that you think this because it is a secret reserved only for the royal family and some nobles close to it.”

“What an honour.”, And Harry knew it was a great honour. It is a way for Draco to apologize for the day before. He bowed his head. “Thank you for your trust.”

“So formal! My parents would have adored you one day.”, Draco said, as he walked around the room.

“I heard that your father passed away three years ago.”, Harry commented, wanting to know more. The conversation with Pansy had left him with so many doubts.

“Yeah, well... I guess I may not have the same noble reasons as you not to mention the death of my parents, but still…”

“It's too recent. Okay, Draco. But if you want to talk…”, He let the sentence die.

“Do not worry. Well, let's continue. We have a specific place to see, it's... This way.”

Harry followed him. Although Draco said not to worry, it was exactly what he was doing at the moment. His parents had died in unpleasant circumstances, to say the least, but he was too small to have any recollection beyond his mother's laughter and father's touch. Draco had already been eighteen years of parently presence before it was pulled out of him and replaced by a burden that, although expected, could be nothing light. They followed through the secret treasures until they reached a chest decorated with emeralds and the Slytherin serpent carved in silver.

Draco took the same key that opened the door to that place and unlocked the chest. Inside were two books and the blonde took what looked older. Harry recognized the title straight away.

“Oh!”, The sigh of surprise escaped without Harry noticing.

“This is a unique treasure. Jewels can be remade, swords will rust and money will lose its value. But this, this knowledge, is pure power.”, The blonde's voice was strong and serious, and Harry found himself staring at his slender fingers around the book. He shook his head, returning his concentration to the story.

“I found him in the middle of the ordinary books in Cedric's library.”, Harry confessed, at least.

“Probably they used the technique of hiding the book in plain sight, and they trusted that no one would ever betray them. HufflePuff loyalty is well known, but he did not realize that there were people who did not share the same ideals living under the same roof.”, Draco said as he went to a light wooden table and opened the book, being followed by Harry, who stopped beside him.

“I would never betray Cedric's trust.”

“I know. I'm not talking about you.”, Harry frowned, because the only person who was not HufflePuff in the mansion was...

“Cho would never do that, either!”

“Ah, but of course she would. After having teamed up with Voldemort as a double agent, and spent the last few months slowly poisoning you, I can confirm that she would.”

“Poisoning... Me? It was her?”, Harry felt a twinge of betrayal. Maybe he didn't consider Cho his friend, but she was one of the few constant companions in his life and she seemed to be helping him.

“I thought it was already obvious. She gave him the medicine for his headaches, but it was actually a poison created by Ravenclaws who seek power among the Counselors. The poison creates headaches so potent that they can drive the infected person crazy in a short time.”

“But I spent months taking that!”

“She may have given small doses, so as not to be so apparent what she was doing. Or your body absorbed and healed the poison with such power that it needed to give you more and more each time. There are countless possibilities.”

“We have to warn Cedric! He may be in danger right now.”, Draco shook his head and held him by the shoulders.

“In spite of what he did to you, Chang would never hurt the king. And he's safe as long as he's a source of security for her. Think about it, Harry: if we tell Cedric and he starts taking action against Cho, what will she do next?”, Realization took Harry, and he closed his eyes.

“Attempt to hurt him. But... But why me?”

“You defeated her former master, you were going to marry the man she is in love with and worst of all: she knew you were important to me.”

“What does she have against you? And, by the way, how do you know all this?”

“I have eyes everywhere. And my father made a lot of wrong choices in the past. Slytherin has more connections with Voldemort and the King beyond the ocean than you can imagine. I'm still trying to change that.”

So the rumors that Slytherin had something to do with Voldemort's rise were true. It was still a lot of information and Harry was still not completely free of the headache, which chose this time to hit him.

“King beyond the ocean? Sorry, but the more you say it, the more confused I get. Besides, what do we need this book for? I already read it.”, Of course Harry had finished the book, with nothing to do but lie down and escape the wedding preparations.

“Sit down. Take a deep breath. I will tell you what happened from the beginning.”, Harry did as he was told and settled down, waiting for Draco to start the story. “When I was six, my father received an ambassador from overseas, a kingdom called Durmstrang. Their king, who I will not say the name, was offering a commercial and political agreement to bring the two kingdoms together. My father had never heard of such a kingdom and sought advice everywhere, including in Ravenclaw. He discovered that the kingdom was new, formed after almost a decade of civil war and ruled with an iron fist by the new king. My father could not judge the means by which he had risen to power, due to our very bloody history, but my mother began to feel that there was something else in that story. She tried to dissuade my father from signing the agreement, but it seemed too good not to accept it. It was a new market, a new route and a new place of influence, just to receive a fixed emissary on our lands. Now, look: my beloved father was an ambitious man and he wanted to leave a mark in the history of Slytherin as the best and richest High Lord.”

“A charming man.”, Harry said, sarcastically.

“Of course. Anyway, when the ship arrived with the emissary, we went to receive him. His name was Tom Marvolo Riddle, but he preferred to be called Voldemort. My father found nothing strange, but then things started to happen. Immigrant families from Muggle and the Veelas Islands, from Ilvermorny and elsewhere were being persecuted and there were even murders. There was nothing to indicate that it could have been Voldemort's work, but my father remembered what my mother had warned: if the agreement were signed, the land would be infested with a plague and there would be death and despair.”

“So that's how Voldemort made it to Hogwarts. No wonder the other kingdoms are afraid of Slytherin.”, Harry said, remembering Sirius and his long speeches against Slytherin.

“This ‘fear’ that you call is much older than Voldemort and refers to the creation of Hogwarts itself. Don't worry, we'll talk about it later. Continuing… Soon, Voldemort wanted to expand his influence and started talking to the most corrupt members of the Ravenclaw Council. It was there that he met Cho's mother, and it was how her family became one of the closest in his circle. Shortly thereafter, as Gryffindor was in the midst of civil war, he began to invest and politically support one of those who tried to usurp the throne, known as Peter “Wormtail” Pettigrew.”

“Miserable rat.”, Harry spat. Draco looked at him in amazement. “It was because of this bastard that Sirius' family was killed, it was because of him that my father died, it was because of him that my mother had to flee in haste to that end of the world from which she always tried to escape. I hate him, hate him, hate him!”

The earth under their feet began to shake, and a cold phantom wind passed through the closed room. Draco grabbed Harry's wrist.

“Breathe!”, The blonde used his powers to send waves of calm over the prince's body, while he seemed to want to fight and destroy everything in front of him. After doing this for a while, Harry regained control, but he was lethargic and weak. “You need to train your powers. If one day you lose control and no one is around to help you, you could end up getting seriously injured.”

”I know. But it's so hard…”, The brunette's sleepy voice made Draco growl. Soon Harry would pass out or fall asleep, and he needed the book to explain the rest of the story. He couldn't Apparate from inside, but using his water portals might work, even if it might make him even more tired.

“Stay awake. Do not sleep!”, Draco started creating the portal, grabbed Harry and led them out of there.


End file.
